‘I DARE you’: El-Sayed says Trump is ‘too afraid’ to campaign in Michigan
Oct 6, 2026 · 41m
Summary
With 29 days until the midterms, Chris Hayes analyzes Republican desperation as they pour billions into ads while facing unfavorable polls and economic headwinds. Guests David Plouffe and Michelle Goldberg discuss the diminishing returns of this "money bomb" strategy in key states like Texas and Kansas. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed challenges Donald Trump to campaign in Michigan and discusses the impact of corporate PACs on his race. Finally, author Michael Lewis joins to discuss his new book on federal employees resisting the dismantling of the civil service by Elon Musk's DOGE.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and episode preview
Midterm polling and Trump's approval ratings
Republican spending advantage and Senate races
Texas Senate race and billionaire influence
Negative ads and voter fatigue in Ohio
Interview with David Plouffe and Jen Psaki
Sponsor breaks
Senate races and fundraising challenges
Interview with Abdul El-Sayed on campaign finance
El-Sayed on foreign policy and Iran conflict
El-Sayed on retail politics and legislative process
Upcoming shows and sponsor breaks
Introduction to Michael Lewis and his new book
Lewis on the nature of the Doge crisis
The U.S. Institute of Peace standoff
Assessing the success of government restructuring
Show outro and final sponsor
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